Tanks seen near Gaza border as Israel vows to press ahead with Rafah ground operation

Israeli tanks and troops have been seen near the country’s border with Gaza raising fears that the long-promised ground offensive into the southern city of Rafah may start soon.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing pressure from within his coalition government to launch the offensive to eliminate Hamas battalions the Israelis say are sheltering there.

But those plans have also been met with a barrage of criticism from human rights groups and world leaders, including Israel’s staunchest ally the United States.

“Today, we again confront enemies bent on our destruction. I say to the leaders of the world – no amount of pressure, no decision by any international forum will stop Israel from defending itself,“ Netanyahu said at the annual Holocaust memorial ceremony in Jerusalem.

But also in Rafah are around 1.4 million civilians who relocated to the city to escape fighting elsewhere in the strip when the Israeli military declared it a safe zone.

Many live in squalid, makeshift encampments with little to no access to food, clean water or sanitation. The World Health Organization warned earlier this week that a ground offensive in Rafah would result in a ‘bloodbath’.

No agreement

Meanwhile, another round of truce talks between Israel and Hamas has ended in Cairo without an agreement.

Israel didn’t send a delegation to negotiations but Hamas has returned to the Qatari capital Doha to consult with the political leadership based there on the latest deal proposed by negotiators which would involved a 40-day suspension of hostilities and an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

But Hamas has been pushing for a permanent ceasefire and accused Netanyahu of ‘sabotaging’ talks in a bid to continue the military operation.

Israel’s defence minister Yoav Gallant said Hamas wasn’t serious about a ceasefire deal and again warned of a possible operation in Rafah.

“We are recognising worrisome signals that Hamas is not planning to accept any deal or agreement with us, and the meaning of this – operation in Rafah and in the entire Gaza Strip in the very near future,” he told officers in Gaza.

More aid had to be airdropped into southern Gaza on Sunday after Israel closed the Kerem Shalom border crossing.

That decision came after Hamas fired rockets towards the crossing. Some Israeli media have reported three soldiers were killed in the attack.